Feathering paddle-wheel



(No Model.)

H. F. W. SOHST. FEATHERING PADDLE WHEEL.

No; 403,392. Patented May 14, 1889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY F. \V. SOHST, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

FEATHERING PADDLE-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 403,392, dated May 14, 1889. Application filed October 20, 1888. Serial No. 288,692. (No model.)

T0 (0% whom it 11mg concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY F. W. SoHsT, of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Paddle-Wheels; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to that class of paddle-wheels known as feathering wheels, and in which the wings or blades are adapted to be turned so as to alternately presenttheir faces and their edges to the water, whereby they apply their power and then clear themselves.

My invention consists in axially-pivoted blades or wings mounted in radial planes of the wheel and the novel cam mechanism, whereby said blades or wings are turned at right angles to the plane of the wheels rotation and back again into line therewith.

It further consists in the novel arrangement of the cam mechanism and the devices for operating it, whereby its position is changed to change the time of the axial movement of the blades or wings, and in details of construction, all of which I shall hereinafter fully describe.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and effective paddle-wheel of this class.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation of'my invention,Figure l is a side elevation of my wheel. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is aperspective View of one of the cam-disks and the stem of one of the blades or wings. Fig. 4 is a face view of one of the cam-disks.

A is the wheel, the two-part hub of which is mounted and adapted to rotate upon a shaft, B.

C are the blades or wings of the wheel, these being of an approximately fan shape and mounted in the wheel in radial planes, being pivoted in position axially, the upper ends of their axes being fitted in the inner surface of the rim or periphery of the wheel and their lower ends being fitted in cross-bars a, spanning the two-part hub of the wheel. Each blade is provided with an axially-extending stem, 0, which projects centrally, and has on its lower end lugs or projections 0,

two of these being on each stem, one being above and at right angles to the other.

Upon the shaft B are formed or fixed rigidly two disks, D. The adjacent faces are separated, so as to leave an annular or circular groove or passage-way, Z), between them, and into'which the stems c of the wings or blades C extend and in which they travel. The faces of these disks are recessed out, as shown at (Z, thus forming a rim-piece or flange, d, which, at corresponding opposing portions of each, is cut away at (1 Just below this cut-away portion is formed or fixed on the face of the disks a short segment of flange d. It will be seen that this construction forms cams of the two disks, the shoulders represented by d of the main flange d of one of the disks being the cams against which the upper lug or projection c of each stem 0 of the blades or wings comes in contact, and the ends of the short segment of flange d of the other disk forming the shoulders 01 against which the lower lug or projection 0 comes in contact. In order to fully understand this construction,I will now describe the operation or effect to which it gives rise.

As the wheel A is turned and carries the blades or wings with it, the lower projections or lugs, c, of the stem 0 of one of the blades or wings comes in contact with the opposing end (1 of the short segment or flange d and is thereby turned, which movement turns the blade or wing on its axis to aposition at right angles. This position continues as said lug or projection travels over the face of the short segment or flange until the other end is reached, when, being free, and the other lug or projection 0 coming in contact with the shoulder (Z formed of the cut-away portion 61 of the main flange d, the blade or wing is thereby returned to its normal position. The normal position of all the blades or wings that is to say, the position in which they stand throughout the greater portion of the rotation of the wheel-is in line with the plane of the 'wheels rotation, this position being maintained by the upper lug or projection c travcling in the annular passage 1), formed between the two disks D, and held by the faces of their flanges d, the other lug or projection c at that time moving freely in the recessed face d of the disk toward which it projects; but when the wing or blade reaches the point where it is thrown into action, (it having remained' inactive while in the plane of the wheels rotation,) its lower or inner lug 0 meeting the cam-shoulder d of the short segment of flange (1 as heretofore described, said blade or wing is turned at right angles to its first position, being then in a position at right angles with the plane of the wheels rotation, so that it meets the water with its broad face and exercises a propelling force. The exercise of this force is continued long enough for practical purposes, whereupon, the other lug or projection 0' coming in contact with its cam-shoulder d the wing or blade is thereby turned back to its first position, in which it is entirely out of action and presents no resistance to the water.

The cam-shoulders are so arranged with relation to each other as to preferably present two of the blades or wings to the water at the same time, though this is a matter of construction, and a greater number may be presented, if found desirable, the remainder being turned in line with the wheels rotation, and being thereby out of action.

It is intended that the whole wheel shall be submerged, andin thus placing it I can provide for the reversal of the vessels movement without reversing the rotation of the wheel.

This is effected by changing the times at which the axial movement of the bladesor wings takes place, and to do this I have the following construction: The shaft B is so mounted in its bearings that it can be rotated. This may be effected in any suitable manner, a convenient and good way being by means of a worm, E, and the worm-gear F on the shaft. This movement of the shafts, carrying the disks D with it, throws their cam portions into different positions. Therefore when the movement of the vessel is to be a forward one the shaft will be turned so as to carry the cam portions of the disks downwardly to a posi tion to cause the blades or wings to act as they pass below; but to reverse the movement of the vessel the shaft is turned so as to carry the cam portions of the disk to an upward position, so that the blades or wings shall be thrown into action at the top of the wheel.

It will thus be seen that the direction of the vessel may be reversed without having to reverse the engine, which continues to drive the wheel in the same direction; but by the movement of the shaft and the altered location of the cam-disks the point at which the I have here shown it as having cogs upon its rim or periphery, with which meshes the pinion G, supposed to be driven by the initial power.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters bination with separated disks between which,

the stems are mounted, said disks. having a rim-piece or flange cut away at corresponding opposing portions and having shoulders for engaging one of the lugs, and a second segment or flan ge having shoulders engaging the other lug, whereby the wings are turned, substantially as herein described.

2. In a paddle-wheel, a rotary frame having axially pivoted wings or blades in radial planes thereof, each blade having two lugs, one set at right angles to the other, in combination with a shaft about which the frame rotates, said shaft having a pinion engaged by an operating-worm, whereby the shaft is rotated, separated disks on the shaft having each two independent flanges with shoulders engaged, and the independent lugs on the stems of the wings, whereby said wings are axially moved and the periods of their movement varied, substantially as herein described.

3. In a paddle-wheel, the rotary frame having axially-pivoted wings or blades in radial planes thereof, each wing or blade having a stem provided on its inner end with lugs or projections, one above the other and at right angles with each other, in combination with the separated disks between which the stems travel and are guided, said disks having recessed faces, and independent flanges having cam-shoulders, against which the lugs or projections of the stems come in contact at diflerent periods, whereby the blades or wings are turned from a position in line with the wheels rotation to a position at right angles thereto and back again, substantially" as herein described.

4. In a paddle-wheel, a rotary frame having HENRY F. W. SOHST.-

. hand.

Witnesses:

S. H. NOURSE, H. 0. LEE. 

